Capoeira is a beautiful Brazilian art form that mixes elements of martial arts, dance and music. It has existed for centuries and originally evolved out of the diverse African cultures present in Brazil as a result of slavery.  

 

In the context of colonial Brazil, Africans and the descendants of Africans created the ritual of capoeira as an expression of old traditions, as a joyful pastime and as a form of cultural resistance against oppression and racism. 
 

In a capoeira game two players exchange expressive, competitive movements to the sound of Afro-Brazilian percussion (berimbau, pandeiro, atabaque) and call and response songs sung in Portuguese. 

 

Training capoeira combines the skillful development of the body, with an immersion in the cultural and musical language of Brazil; Learning about capoeira teaches students a story of strength, creativity and resistance all intertwined with the African Diaspora. 

 

It offers something to absolutely everyone, no matter the age, level of experience, or physical ability.
          

Grupo de Capoeira Dendê was founded in Halifax in 2005 by Mestre Azeitona and Professora Paula. Their goal (along with their friend Mestre Fabinho Cuencas of Dendê do Recife - Ottawa) has always been to further develop capoeira in Canada and to emphasize the style and culture of their home: the province of Pernambuco in Brazil's Northeast.

 

Since 2007 the group’s work in Halifax has been led by their long-time student Professor Cacuete (Ross Burns), now a veteran of more than 17 years teaching capoeira.

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In 2024 Dendê Halifax is running weekly classes for students of all levels. If you have any questions please get in touch.